Embers
by Hope Elizabeth
Summary: This story takes place after "Journey's End" and involves Rose, the Tenth Doctor and the Doctor's Clone. It's a story of what might have been, what might still be, at least in my imagination. Romantic, action-packed, the whole lot. I hope you all enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

It was unseasonably hot for September. While citizens were used to the last, lazy remnants of summer lingering, London had never experienced a September this warm. With thermometers topping 45 degrees Celsius, Londoners were feeling the heat. Stress levels were high. Tempers flared and nerves were worn thin. _The Guardian_ and _The Times_ were at a loss as to the reason for such an unusual heat wave. Some blamed global warming while others predicted the end of the world. Suffice to say, something was rotten in London town.


	2. Chapter 2

With a quick thrust of her right leg, Rose kicked the thin cotton sheet away from her body. The soft whir of fans could be heard above the gentle hum of the window air conditioner and still her body was coated with a thin, gauzy layer of sweat. She opened her eyes and looked with sleepy, blurry vision at the room around her.

The digital clock next to her bed read five o'clock. She rubbed a hand quickly over her eyes, forcing herself to focus, and then scooted gently to the edge of her bed. She placed her feet on the floor but before she could stand, she felt her toes touch something soft and pliable. Reaching a blind hand towards the space where her bedside lamp should be, she soon found the pull string and flooded her little corner with soft white light. There, curled up on the floor, knees drawn to his chest, hands tucked under his cheek, was the "doctor." Rose wondered how he could sleep so well with the weather being so uncomfortable. Still, with a duvet drawn up around his shoulders, he looked peaceful and comfortable, enviably so.

Sighing, Rose stepped gently over the "doctor's" body and walked quietly towards the kitchen of this small, London apartment. She had her head down, yawning with the last remnants of sleep, and didn't notice that the kitchen light was already on.

"Couldn't sleep?" Rose jumped at her mother's voice. Jackie was seated at the kitchen table, a large glass of water pressed firmly to her forehead. Rose sat opposite her mother and placed her chin in her hands.

"Na. It's too hot to sleep." Rose yawned again. "Are dad and Tony asleep?" Jackie smiled.

"Pete could always sleep through anything, he could. Tony is just so exhausted. He was up crying till all hours this morning, poor dear. Had to rub him down with some ice water 'fore he finally drifted off." Rose sighed and took her mother's free hand.

"What about you?" Now it was Jackie's turn to grin.

"Pete's barmy; wants to cuddle up, in this heat! Told him to bugger off. He's draped out all over the cot in nothin' but his knickers. You could go take a look if you like, if you want a laugh." Rose found herself blushing.

"Ah, no 'fanks," she replied, covering her mouth with the back of her hand," I'll take your word for it." Before they could stop themselves, the two women erupted into a sea of laughter. Wiping away the tears that were streaming from her eyes, Rose took a breath. "We should be quiet; don't want to wake the house." Jackie let out a small snort then covered her mouth.

"Did I miss something funny?" Rose turned quickly at the sound of the masculine voice behind her. The grin on Jackie's face softened slightly. The "doctor" was standing, leaning really, on the door frame of the kitchen. His hair was disheveled, the top to his pajamas askew, his face plastered with a silly grin.

"Na, just us two, havin' a bit of a chat. Guess the heat's getting' to us a bit." Jackie gently patted Rose's hand and stood. "I'd better go check on Tony." The "doctor" gave Jackie a smile as she exited the kitchen then he took her empty seat across from Rose.

"Are you all right?" His eyes were full of concern and they gazed intently on Rose's face. Rose found it difficult to look at him. Truth was, she had had trouble looking at him from the day they drove off that beach in Norway. The kiss, well, that had been spontaneous, a desire that had built up for four very long, very difficult years. But when the kiss was done, when the TARDIS had left, Rose had felt…alone and terribly, terribly empty. This man seated across from her was a stranger. While he looked like The Doctor, spoke like The Doctor, had the same memories as The Doctor, there was something missing; something so vitally important that its absence made all the difference. Rose didn't know what it was exactly, but that one essential element, that one missing piece, is what transformed this man in front of her from The Doctor into something else entirely.

It pained her to look at him. He encompassed all those unfulfilled memories, all those dreams that she knew would never come to pass. Right now, the "doctor" had nowhere else to go and she couldn't just turn him out into the streets. But she couldn't imagine living so close to him forever. She'd rather let the memories of her Doctor go then try to make a life with this…imitation. She didn't mean to sound hurtful, but the heart wants what the heart wants, regardless of the best efforts of others.

The "doctor" sensed that Rose was uneasy, lost in thought, and he wisely held his tongue. He knew what Rose was thinking. Truth was, he'd had similar thoughts himself. Here he was, inhabiting a body that technically belonged to someone else. He possessed memories, thoughts, and abilities that were not his own. The further away he was from the real Doctor, the more his individuality began to grow; an individuality that was separate and unique from that of the DNA he sprang from. It was as if the Doctor's consciousness was pressing and suppressing his own personality, similar to the way Cassandra suppressed Rose's psyche when she and The Doctor had visited New Earth. It had started as uncomfortable, an annoyance, nothing more. But now, it had progressed into something that physically pained him; headaches that no amount of aspirin could cure.

He longed to tell Rose of his problems, longed for her advice and counsel, perhaps even her comfort. But Rose was not in love with him. Rose barely had any desire to be his friend. Any cordiality she expressed was due to her compassionate nature, her kind heart, nothing more. So he kept his discomfort to himself; the fevers, the night sweats, the extremes of hot and cold that coursed through his veins like fire and ice. Something was wrong with him and he didn't know how much longer he could keep it a secret from those around him, or how much longer he could keep himself from going completely and utterly insane.


	3. Chapter 3

The TARDIS purred gently as The Doctor sat cross-legged on her metallic floor. They hadn't done much traveling as the last three weeks had passed. In an effort to conserve her power, she had entered an almost sleep-like state. Her walls were no longer a soft yellow and orange. Instead, they were transformed into undulating blues, like the waves of some distant ocean. The Doctor hadn't really noticed. He was in too much pain.

The Doctor had lost companions before. He was used to the ache that filled his heart after such encounters but he had always found a way to make it through, to move ahead, to forge ever onward. And yet, for some odd reason that he couldn't place his finger on, this depression refused to lift, no matter what he tried. He'd visited a few of his old haunts; planetary spectacles that should have lifted his spirit. And yet, they only made him miss her all the more. Rose, his Rose. Perhaps, if Donna had still been with him, he'd have been able to handle the situation a bit better. But Donna was gone as well, lost within the recesses of time, living, aging, never again to know who he was or what she'd had the opportunity to do. The combination of regret over Donna's unfortunate situation and the agony of having to say goodbye to Rose all over again was more than he could bear.

The Doctor might have been lost in thought forever if it weren't for what happened next. One moment, he was Indian-style on the floor, the next he was flat on his back. Pushing himself up quickly, he grabbed hold of the TARDIS console, eyes wide, eyebrows furled, cowlick bobbing with each jerk of his ship. The depressed, surging aqua walls were replaced with flashing red. Her purr was replaced with a clanging scream. The TARDIS was in pain and The Doctor had no idea why. He gently placed a hand on the time rotor's protective casing, trying to sense what the problem could possibly be. But as soon as his hand touched the glass-like shell he immediately drew it back with an audible "ow" and a quick shake. The time rotor was burning up! It wasn't just hot, it was boiling, searing, blistering!

"What?" The Doctor began turning knobs, pulling levers, frantic to find the answer. And in a moment, while The Doctor was busy checking the dimensional stabilizer, the TARDIS seized suddenly, then began dropping, falling at an alarming rate, lights flashing. Flames exploded from beneath The Doctor's feet as the heat of the TARDIS expanded. Before he could stop it, the console itself began to spark and sizzle. Sweat poured from The Doctor's every pore. He tore his jacket from his shoulders, quickly unbuttoned his shirt sleeves and pushed them up to his elbows. His tie soon joined his jacket on the floor. He was desperate to find to answer, rummaging and pulling this and that but each time, having to pull his hands away lest they burn. Finally, The Doctor stepped back from the console, hands grabbing his hair, eyes wild, breath coming in gasps. He couldn't stop it. Whatever was happening, he didn't know what it was and he couldn't stop it. And while The Doctor was distracted with this thought, the TARDIS lurched in pain, throwing The Doctor to the floor. His head slammed into a metal girder, mercifully knocking him unconscious as the TARDIS began the final leg of her mysterious and fiery journey.


	4. Chapter 4

"This is Nigel Thornberry, bringing you today's forecast. Once again we'll see temperatures soaring, with a high of 50 degrees Celsius. Reports are in that temperatures are equally high in North America, Africa, and most of Europe. No reports yet from Australia or China, but we imagine the situation is similar. Citizens are to be reminded that the UK is under a severe weather advisory. It is recommended that all residents stay indoors and try to keep as cool as possible. For tips on how to stifle the heat, please go to ./weather and click on my face, smiling Nigel Thornberry. I'll be here to keep you updated every hour on the hour. Until then, stay cool and keep smiling!"

"I hate him," Rose muttered as she pressed the channel button on the remote control, replacing "smiling Nigel" with a rerun of SpongeBob Squarepants. Tony let out a giggle and clapped his hands, turning himself from his place on the floor to watch the antics of the laughing yellow sponge. Rose couldn't help but smile herself and patting Tony on his head, she pushed herself off the sofa. Walking towards the sliding glass door that led to the small deck of their apartment, she leaned her head on the glass, thankful that it managed to be cooler than the soaring temperatures outside. She pulled gently at the collar of her sleeveless shirt, in an attempt to create a breeze. Sweat ran slowly down her legs, despite the fact that the only thing covering them was frayed denim shorts, haphazardly constructed from a pair of her favorite blue jeans. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a messy ponytail. Hardly fashionable, but in this heat, she couldn't bear to have anything unnecessary touching her skin.

"Would you like a soda Rose?" Jackie's head emerged from the kitchen doorway, holding a glass filled with ice and a can of fizzy pop. Rose turned and reached out, taking the glass with the ice and placing it to her chest.

"I think I'll just take the ice 'fanks." Jackie smiled and popped open the tab of the soda. After taking a small sip, she stuck out her tongue and placed the can on the kitchen table.

"Have you seen the 'doctor' today? He hasn't really been around. Did he go out?" Rose cringed a bit when her mother called their ward "the doctor" but she covered it with a quick shake of her head.

"I haven't seen him since early this morning." Rose returned her gaze to the world outside. Jackie however, wasn't' satisfied and went off to find the "doctor." Rose's bedroom door was closed, so Jackie knocked gently, once, twice, three times.

"Doctor?" She knocked again. Nothing. No one answered. Jackie placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly, eyes closed. She didn't want to catch the "doctor" in his knickers or worse, with no clothes on at all. "Doctor?" It was the sound of a loud and excruciating groan that brought her to attention. The "doctor" was lying on a cot in Roses' room. He had a blanket pulled up to his waist. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hand was placed over his heart, fingers curled and grasping, face contorted in agony and obvious pain. Jackie rushed to his side. "What's the matter? What can I do?" He looked up, tears evident in his large brown eyes, his breath coming in gasps. He stretched a hand outwards that Jackie took in her own.

"R-R-Rose," The "doctor" whispered, "I n-n-need R-Rose." Jackie nodded and squeezed the "doctor's" hand.

"Rose!" Jackie screamed and the "doctor" winced. "Rose, come quick! There's somethin' wrong with the 'doctor'!" Roses' face became almost immediately visible, framed by the open door. When she saw the situation, she took her place on the "doctor's" other side.

"What's wrong? What's the matter?" The "doctor" grabbed at Rose's hand and pulled her close. His breathing was ragged. His body was covered with a glistening sheen of sweat. Rose placed her hand on his forehead and marveled that his skin could be so hot to the touch. "Mum, could you give us minute, please?" Jackie nodded and left, closing the door behind her.

Rose battled the feelings that rose up inside her. What was going on? Why was he so ill? Despite her lack of romantic attachment, could she cope if anything happened to him, this man, her last link to her past?

"R-R-Rose," The "doctor" began, taking her hand in both of his and holding them close to his chest. "Something is w-wrong. It's b-b-been coming on for w-weeks now. N-Not right. My heart, my b-body. S-something isn't right." Rose didn't understand. She didn't know what to say, how to comfort him.

"What can I do? What do you need?" The "doctor" closed his eyes and lay back on the cot. "How about some tea? That did the trick last time. Maybe it would work again." Rose tried to get to her feet, but the "doctor" held onto her hand with a tender but firm grip.

"D-don't leave me…Rose. Rose. Don't l-leave me." With those words, the "doctor" drifted into a delirious, fever induced slumber. Tears sprang to Rose's eyes. She laid her head gently on the "doctor's" chest and listed to his heart, his one human heart, beat an erratic and heavy rhythm.

"Please," she whispered, tears staining her cheeks, "help me. Help me to understand. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to feel. You can't die because…if you die, then he dies with you. Please, help me…tell me what to do." But the "doctor" didn't' answer her. He slept on and as far as Rose knew, help wasn't coming.


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor sat up with start. His head ached but that wasn't important at the moment. Ignoring the pain and dizziness that seized him, The Doctor jumped to his feet and rushed to the console of the TARDIS. Everything was silent. There was no hum, no purr of life and the time rotor sat stagnate and unmoving. The only way The Doctor knew that the TARDIS was still functioning was the occasional blip and flash of the indicator lights on the console. The Doctor attempted to work the controls but they were still blisteringly hot to the touch. He grabbed his jacket from the floor, wrapped it around his hand, and grabbed the surveillance screen. If nothing else, perhaps the TARDIS could tell him where, or when, they were. Then, at least, he'd have somewhere to start. He pushed a few buttons with his protected hand, turned a few levers, and then stopped.

"No." It couldn't be. It was impossible. "No!" The Doctor went into a dead sprint and grabbed at the TARDIS' door. "Ouch!" Wrong hand. With his protected hand, he grabbed the handle to the TARDIS' door and pulled. "No." How could this be possible? The rips had been shut; all had been made right once more. He should not be here. And yet, here he was. He took a tentative step out of the TARDIS and with wide, disbelieving eyes, looked around. Everything seemed the same. There weren't as many zeppelins as there used to be but there were a few; man-made birds making the sky their home. The only real difference, and The Doctor didn't notice it right away due to the state of the TARDIS, was the heat. It was stifling! He stuck a finger in his mouth then lifted it skyward. "Ah yes, approximately 49 degrees Celsius. That's not right. Something is…wrong." He glanced back towards the TARDIS. "So," he said, have speaking, half sighing, "This is why you brought me here. And you almost sacrificed yourself in the process." He placed a hand on the outside wall of the TARDIS, which, to the Doctor's surprise, was relatively cool to the touch. "We'll get everything sorted out. I promise."

The Doctor surveyed his surroundings once again. There was no doubt where he was. There was no doubt when he was. Big Ben, the zeppelins, a discarded copy of _the Guardian_ on a nearby bench…this was London. But that wasn't it. This wasn't just any London. This was Rose's London. His Rose. She was here…and so was he. And with that thought racing through his head, The Doctor started running.


	6. Chapter 6

It wasn't a miracle cure, but oddly enough, after a few cups of Jackie's tea, the "doctor" had to admit, he was feeling quite a bit better. He'd had enough energy to get out of bed, grab a shower and was now sitting next to Rose on the Tyler's living room soft.

"You're really feeling better, yeah?" Rose's face was full of concern and the "doctor" couldn't help but offer a tender smile.

"Yes. I'm feeling better. Wouldn't you know your mum's tea would do the trick. You're a miracle worker Jackie, you are." Jackie, who was busy feeding Tony some smashing pureed peas, flashed the "doctor" a smile.

"You'd better believe it," she replied, "Told you I liked this one Rose." Rose offered up an embarrassed little grin and turned to face the "doctor" once more. He was staring at her. Unnerved Rose diverted her eyes but when she did so, the "doctor" reached over and took her hand.

"Rose, could we…talk somewhere. Alone." Rose nodded and silently followed the "doctor" out the front door of their apartment.

It was so warm that it took Rose a moment to catch her breath. She was immediately drenched in sweat. The world around her was almost alien. Bits and pieces of trash had melted to the concrete surrounding their apartment complex. Even some of the parked cars had begun to dissolve in the heat. "This is a far cry from Pete's mansion eh?" The "doctor" was soaking wet with sweat but it didn't seem to faze him.

"Yeah, but we both know he couldn't go back. He bought that mansion with Lumic's money. And even though he's happy with mum, he knows what that man did to his Jackie. Besides, " she took a breath, "too many memories there." The "doctor" nodded his head and stared off into the distance.

"The truth is Rose, "he began, "there's something I need to tell you. Probably should have told you about this sooner actually. No escaping it now I'm afraid." He turned and gazed directly into Rose's eyes. "Rose," he began, his gaze deepening, "I'm dying."

For a moment, Rose couldn't feel her body. She went numb, from head to toe. The world began to get fuzzy and a black shadow passed briefly before her eyes. When her head began to clear, she realized that she was lying in the "doctor's" arms, his hand pressed to her cheek, his eyes concerned but firm.

"I'm sorry," Rose said, laughing a bit, "I must have hit my head or somefing, I thought you said you were gonna die." She continued to giggle until the reality of the "doctor's" unwavering stare brought her back to reality. "You're serious?" The "doctor" nodded. Tears sprang unbidden to Rose's eyes and she grabbed at his sopping shirt, burying her face in his chest. "You can't die! Not now, not when I'm just beginnin' to…" She left the sentence unfinished. Instead, she asked the question that the "doctor" loathed to answer. "Why?"

"I'm just a copy," The "doctor" replied with a small sigh, the exhaling breath turning instantly to condensation. "I've got the time lord consciousness with a human body, a human heart. Truth is, this body can't handle the stress. My heart…it's giving out." Rose waiting for him to continue. "Was just a matter of time really," he continued, biting his lower lip absentmindedly. "Course, with this blasted heat, it really put my ol' circulatory system through the ringer. Sped the process up a bit. If things had remained, um, normal, I might've lived, oooh, another five years maybe. Guess things don't' always work out for the best eh Rose?"

Fresh tears welled up in Rose's eyes. The "doctor's" thumb, already resting on Rose's cheek, gently wiped away a runaway tear, then continued to lightly stroke the smooth skin of her face. Rose tried to speak, but each time she opened her mouth, she let out a sob. Finally, she simply buried her head against the "doctor's" shirt, allowing her tears to mingle with his sweat. After what seemed an eternity, with the "doctor" waiting in silence, comforting her, Rose found that she was able to breathe. She pushed away from the "doctor's" chest and found his gaze once more.

"How long?" The "doctor" swallowed, hard, and for the first time, found himself unable to return Rose's stare.

"A month, perhaps a bit more." With these words, Rose's tears sprang up anew and the "doctor" held her, gently rocking her back and forth, like a mother holding her child. All Rose felt was the steady yet fallible and fading beat of the "doctor's" heart. What she missed was the flow of teardrops that fell from the "doctor's" eyes and into her hair as he held her safe and close.


	7. Chapter 7

The Doctor had gotten about three miles before he realized that he had no real idea where Rose lived. If he knew her, and Jackie, they wouldn't be living in Pete's old mansion, nor would it be likely that he'd find them in this world's Powell Estates. Somewhere in between perhaps?

Turning in a circle and scratching his head, The Doctor assessed his surroundings.

"Ah yes. That'll do nicely." The Doctor headed towards the formidably large stone building that showcased a brass sign marked "Library." Once inside, he smiled sweetly at the librarian, and then made his way towards one of the vacant, public access computers. He ducked down a bit, made sure that no one was looking, and extracted his blue-tipped sonic screwdriver from his pants pocket. Pointing it towards the console of the PC, he flipped the switch and let the instrument do its work. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The computer screen blinked a bit and then a website flashed into view. "Jackpot! Oh, yes, well, won't use that word again." And in a moment, The Doctor was off…towards the Rose Briar Apartments…just twelve miles away.


	8. Chapter 8

Rose hadn't realized that she'd fallen asleep in the "doctor's" arms until she found herself softly rubbing the slumber from her eyes, her head resting comfortably on the "doctor's" chest. He must have carried her inside because the two were lying on Rose's double bed, instead of on the scorching cement stairs outside their apartment. The sing-songy buzzing of the air-conditioner in her window caused her to linger where she was, eyes still heavy with fatigue. The "doctor" lay flat on his back, one hand underneath his head, the other placed softly on Rose's shoulder. Rose smiled.

She eased out from under the "doctor's" embrace and sat up, observing him sleep. This was one thing she had never been able to do with her Doctor, the real Doctor. She never caught him sleeping. Well, there was that one time, after they'd outrun a wild mob of Krytes. Odd creatures, those Krytes. They were reptilian, with purple iridescent scales and shining green eyes. They had these large muscular legs that made them very fast and instead of hands, they had these spinning razor thingies that sparkled like diamonds. Anyway, Rose remember high tailing it off the planet Krytoolian, The Doctor in tow. He seemed a bit surprised that they'd made it to the safety of the TARDIS. The Doctor was so worn out that he literally fell asleep standing up…for all of five minutes. Then he was back to his normal boisterous self. The memory made Rose chuckle a bit.

Staring at the "doctor" she knew, somewhere deep in her heart, that this wasn't the same man who'd fled the Krytes with such swiftness and intellect. And yet those memories were locked away within his head. All those wonderful things she'd done with her Doctor, this man had never experienced, not really. But still, he remembered them. And even though he'd only known her for such a short amount of time, he still cared for her and took the time to be considerate of her feelings. She knew that she could never love this man, as she had loved her Doctor, but perhaps…perhaps she had been too harsh on him. After all, the only reason that they hadn't become close friends was Rose's hesitancy to let him get too close. Right now, they both needed a friend. Perhaps, perhaps that would be enough…for as long as he had left…for as long as they both had left…together. Rose lay back down with the "doctor," nuzzling the top of her head underneath his chin.

"Friends." She whispered into the quiet room, the quite emptiness.

"Fantastic." Was the soft reply that echoed from the chest beneath her cheek.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor stood just outside the Rose Briar Apartments, staring up at the rows upon rows of windows and fire escapes. Where was she? Of course, he couldn't blame Rose for staying indoors in this heat. The more he ran the more uncomfortable it became, even for his advanced circulatory system.

As The Doctor had been sprinting towards Rose, he'd also been contemplating the current weather situation, which he'd decided early on was definitely alien. Visually speaking nothing seemed wrong with the distance or trajectory of the sun, therefore the heat source must either be beneath the earth's surface or simulated via an extraordinarily large space craft. The Doctor couldn't' think of a single species, past or present that had mastered a cloaking device for a ship that size so the only viable answer was…down below.

The mystery could wait however. The Doctor had other plans at the moment. Cupping his hands around his mouth, The Doctor took in a breath and began to scream "Rose!" The word was lost, however, in the wave of rumbling, splitting and cracking noises that arose from the steaming concrete car park. The Doctor tried again. "Rose!" More cracking and groaning. "Rose!" This time, The Doctor was almost knocked off his feet as the ground beneath him began to twist and roll, crumble and tear. A great rush of heat emanated from the newly formed holes and fissures. The Doctor extracted his sonic screwdriver and held it over one of the many steaming crevices. The temperatures were astronomical! Sixty, Seventy, no, eighty degrees Celsius! The Doctor quickly pulled his hand and screwdriver way, truly afraid that his instrument would melt.

Suddenly, almost directly beneath his feet, a large metal girder rose sharply into the air. The Doctor scrambled to get out of the way as more and more goliath metal rods shot up from underneath the earth. The remaining concrete fell away as bulky pearlescent pods rose slowly, curving almost beautifully around the individual metal rods. They were approximately 85 meters in circumference, polished and glistening, as if forged from the heated depths of the earth's core.

"That's probably the truth of it," thought The Doctor as he watched in awe, the radiant ships rising, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. He walked a bit closer, flashing his sonic screwdriver here and there, trying to pick up any information he could. Sidling up close to one of the slowly rising orbs, he took out his glasses and ran his hand over the smooth sides, marveling that somehow, they were cool to the touch. "Aren't you beautiful!" He cooed, like a child talking to a puppy in a shop's window. It was at that time that The Doctor noticed a small, almost unnoticeable mark on the helm of one of the pods…and he stopped dead in his tracks. "No. It can't be." He looked quickly from the pod to the apartment complex just meters away and back to the pod once again. "No." Then, The Doctor began to run and as he ran, he began to scream. "Rose!"


	10. Chapter 10

Rose was standing, alone, on a seemingly deserted beach. She knew the name but strangely, it would not come to her. The rocks, the sand, the waves, even the sky seemed familiar. Slowly, she began to realize that she was cold. Shivering, she pulled her sleeves over her hands and hugged herself tightly. A sharp wind rushed against her face and she felt a tingling coolness on her cheeks. Raising a hand upwards, she touched her cheek, and realized that she must have been crying. Her face was awash with tears. With this realization a strange sadness washed over Rose and she began to cry in earnest, without knowing why.

"Rose." Her head turned sharply towards the sound. It was eerie, breathed and almost ghostly, but the voice was so very familiar.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered the word at first, then she became almost frantic. "Doctor!"

"Rose." Where was he? She couldn't see anything but the beach, the waves and the sky. The sky. It was changing now. What was once a gray and brooding sky, full of clouds heavy with rain, was quickly becoming a red and angry sky, the sun angrily searing the earth beneath its Aztec gaze. The sand was becoming too hot to stand on and the rocks were beginning to steam as the salt water evaporated into the seaside air. Rose found it difficult to breath and she felt as if she'd never been so thirsty.

"Doctor," she whispered through lips that were quickly becoming parched. Her eyes were drawn suddenly to the ocean that lay beyond her grasp. The waves became smaller and smaller, the water receded and drew away from the shore until it ceased to be anything at all, not even a puddle. The smell of dead, rotting and burning fish caused Rose's stomach to clench. Oh, where was he? Why didn't he save her?

"Rose!" This call was a bit louder, a bit stronger. She looked around, left and right, but still no Doctor. Why didn't he come to her and what were these strange golden orbs that were rising from the ground? Why did their light burn her skin?

"Doctor!"

"Rose?" Rose straight up on the bed, sweat pouring from every pore, tears streaming from her eyes. Beside her, the "doctor" was sitting with a hand on her arm, his eyes full of concern and alarm. Rose ran a hand over her body, checking her skin, her lips, everywhere. She took in her surroundings as well. There was no beach, no golden orbs…and no Doctor, except the one that held onto her shaking hand. "Rose, it was just a dream. You're fine now." Rose looked at the "doctor" and slowly began to relax. But just as every muscle uncurled, the whole apartment began to shake.

"Rose, what's goin on?" Jackie's voice was filled with fear as she held a now screaming Tony in her arms.

"Now don't you worry Jackie, "Pete cooed, emerging from their bedroom, shaken but unharmed. He proceeded to place protective arms around his wife's shoulders. "I'll go take a look outside. You stay here n' look after the baby."

"No, dad," Rose said, rising to her feet. "You stay here with mum. I'll go." Anything to clear her head of that disturbing dream. The "doctor" stood as well and joined Rose.

"We'll both go. You two, stay inside and keep yourselves safe." Jackie nodded as she melted into Pete's embrace.

"Be careful Rose," her mother sobbed, visibly shaken and very much afraid. Pete echoed the sentiment and Rose gave them her bravest smile. Grabbing her hand, the "doctor" led Rose towards the front door.

"You ready for this?" he asked with a strange sort of twinkle in his eye. Rose raised an eyebrow and nodded. They both reached for the knob at the same time, twisted it and stepped outside.

Several years ago, the sight of hundreds of strange shimmering golden pods would have scared Rose out of her skin. And yet, at first, she looked upon these alien artifacts as just that, something alien but nothing surprising. She even felt an almost giddy feeling rise in her chest at the thought of anther impending adventure. Her excitement was short lived however, when a frightening realization hit her, like a blow to her gut. These pods, she knew them! She'd seen them before! These were the same pods from her dream not several moments before! They were rising, just as they had in her vision, rising from the ground, blocking out the view of anything other than their glistening, perfectly smoothed silhouettes. Rose watched them rise, fear stuck in her throat, and she could do nothing but stare.

Beside her, the "doctor" was silent as well but his face bore a different expression; wonder. Rose turned to look at the "doctor" and was at first, amazed at his placidity. How could he be smiling at a time like this? Her scary dream creatures were real and they were here! It was then that Rose realized another similarity between this "doctor" and her Doctor. They both possessed the appreciative nature, the childlike wonder, of discovering and witnessing new species of life, regardless of purpose or plan. Rose's attention was now focused fully on the "doctor" as he began to grin like a giddy schoolboy, clapping his hands and quivering, full of unabashed excitement.

"Oh Rose," he began, turning to look at her, his eyes shining," Aren't they glorious?" She found herself beginning to smile, caught up in the "doctor's" glee when something caught her attention; something she had never expected to hear again; something that caused her heart to leap in her chest like it had never leapt before. She heard a scream, a shout, and a very familiar voice.

"Rose!"


	11. Chapter 11

Rose squinted her eyes, her hands grasping the metal railing of the staircase on which she stood. She searched, mentally looking past the hundreds of rising pods to see who or what had just called to her. It couldn't be who she thought it was. The only "doctor" here was the one standing next to her and he hadn't screamed at her. It was as if her dream was coming true, here and now, and the thought both petrified and enlivened her. She searched and searched but there were just too many pods. She couldn't see through them all, couldn't see the ground. She turned her head to face the "doctor" once more only his expression had drastically changed. It was no longer the look of a giddy child. Instead, it was a mixture of sorrow and relief, happiness and melancholy. He looked beyond her towards something past her sight and sighed.

"Rose." He quietly said her name and softly took her shoulder, turning her towards the ground, where the cement staircase met the car park floor. There, as quick as bullet from a gun, ran a tall, lanky, slightly odd, slightly handsome looking man with a tuft of brown hair and piercing brown eyes. Rose felt her heart begin to beat out of her chest. It couldn't be! How could he be here, now? What had happened?

"Doctor?" She whispered the word at first, then began to shout it. "Doctor, I'm here, I'm here!" Rose began to fly down the stairs as The Doctor rose just as quickly. It wasn't long before their paths met. They collided in an embrace that should have sent shockwaves through the apartments. Rose clung to The Doctor, breathing him in, as if her very life depending on not letting go. The Doctor held Rose, cherishing every soft curve of her frame and the gentle scent of lavender that wafting from her damp hair. Despite the fact that they were both soaked with sweat from head to toe, they held on, simply unwilling to let go. The "doctor" stared from his perch several stories up. He didn't want to interrupt so he held his place, watching.

"Rose." The Doctor slowly pulled away and tried to grasp Rose's hands.

"Ow!" Rose pulled back, unexpectedly. The Doctor took the backs of her hands in his and surveyed her palms. Blisters had already begun to form. Rose had been so intent on finding The Doctor, once she heard his voice that she had clung to the banister of the stairs without thinking. The metal banister had been just over 55 degrees Celsius and without realizing it, Rose had burnt her hands.

"Come on. In to the house with you. Let's get something on those hands." The Doctor lightly cupped Rose's cheek then placed his hand at the small of her back, helping her back up the stairs. It wasn't long before they finally reached the "doctor" and the door to Rose's apartment. "Hello!" cried The Doctor, grinning from ear to ear. He forcefully grabbed his doppelganger's hand and shook it vigorously. "It's like looking in a mirror! Guess I need a bit of a haircut…and a shave. But overall, you're looking very dapper if I do say so myself." The "doctor" smiled in return and the two men followed Rose into the apartment. Jackie, Pete and Tony were seated in the living room, the television turned to the news.

"Mum," Rose peeked her head around the corner and grabbed Jackie's attention.

"Jackie!" The Doctor strode into the living room without a second thought. "Aren't you looking lovely? And Pete, nice to see you…alive. And this must be Tony. Spittin' image of you Jackie…course he's a natural blond." Jackie stared at The Doctor, slackjawed, then looked to Rose.

"Did he have a seizure or something? You only just saw me a few moments ago. What are you goin' on about?" The Doctor opened his mouth to speak but at that moment, the "doctor" trailed in behind him.

"Ah yes, about that," the "doctor" interjected, offering up a sheepish grin. Jackie leapt to her feet, almost dropping young Tony in the process.

"Doctor?" The Doctor grinned from ear to ear and opened his arms to accept Jackie exuberant embrace. "Rose, it's The Doctor!" Rose blushed a bit, but her grin spread from ear to ear, her joy obvious to everyone.

"Right, now that we've all said hello, Rose, let's see to those hands of yours." Jackie noticed Rose's blistering palms and rushed to gather some gauze and ointment. Rose and The Doctor retreated to the kitchen, where they were offered bit of privacy. The "doctor" seemed to sense Rose's desire to be alone with The Doctor. He silently went into the bedroom and softly shut the door.

Sitting face to face at the kitchen table, Rose stared at The Doctor. Jackie entered briefly, handed over the necessary bandages then left them alone once again. With the utmost of care, The Doctor began to sooth and wrap Rose's scalded hands. Rose, who hadn't noticed the pain before, due to all the excitement, now began to feel it in excess, despite The Doctor's tender ministrations. A tear slipped silently down her cheek as the gauze touched her throbbing blisters and she suppressed the urge to cry out as he pulled the last bandage tight and tied it in place with a neat little bow. Looking up, The Doctor noticed Rose's pained expression and the silent tears that trickled down her cheeks. Staring at those tears, The Doctor was struck with a thought; a thought he hadn't even considered until that moment.

His mind wandered briefly to that agonizing day on the shores of Dårlig Ulv Stranden. He remembered Rose's face as the wind whipped her hair around her eyes, her cheeks rosy red from the cold, her eyes full of confusion and agony. He remembered Rose's question, the question he'd been unable to answer once before and was now unwilling to answer, for the simple fact that he wanted her to be free. He remembered the excruciating sight of his beloved friend embracing, and kissing, the man who bore his all his memories, but none of his present agony. What if Rose was truly in love with this copy of himself? What if it was now the "doctor" who shared her heart and her soul? The thought cast The Doctor into a moment of deep depression and a wave of melancholy spread across his face, his features darkening.

"Doctor?" Rose reached out and tentatively placed a bandaged hand on The Doctor's arm. In turn The Doctor offered Rose a half smile and gently patted the hand that touched his arm.

"I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." Rose's brow clenched as she tried to decipher his meaning.

"For what? Doctor, are you leavin' again?" When The Doctor didn't answer straight away, Rose began to panic. "You can't! Doctor, you can't leave! You've only just got here and…" Rose's voice trailed off as she stood, half in anger half in agony, tears running freely. The Doctor, still emotionally ambivalent, ran a hand quickly through his hair where it settled on the back of his neck.

"No, Rose, I'm not…that is…I can't…the TARDIS is weak. I couldn't leave, can't leave, even if I wanted too." Rose turned swiftly, anger and pain dancing across her face.

"Then why're you sorry? Sorry for wha'? The Doctor sighed and gazed intently into Rose's eyes.

"When I left you on that beach in Norway, I left so you could have a better life. You deserve to be…you deserve happiness. You deserve things…things I may never be able to give you. I had hoped you could have found that happiness with John Smith and now I show up and mess with the way things were… are."

"Doctor," Rose began, "You haven't messed up anyfing'. That man…in there…"she pointed to her bedroom, "he's my friend, but, he ain't…he couldn't be…he isn't…you." The Doctor grinned a bit and Rose began to relax.

"Doctor," Rose began, absentmindedly messing with the edge of a piece of gauze wrapped around her left hand, "About…him. There's something you should know. He's…well..he's…" But before Rose could finish her sentence, the apartment began to shake as if by massive earthquake. The walls began to crack as the colossal shockwaves blasted through the foundations. Pictures fell, dishes shattered, and car alarms began to sing just outside the already splintered windows.

"Right on time, I'm afraid," said The Doctor, rising from his chair with a start, eyebrow raised, eyes intent. Rose raised an eyebrow inquisitively but there apparently wasn't time for an explanation. "Oi! John Smith! Front and center!" The "doctor" emerged, pale and a bit sickly looking, from Rose's bedroom. The state of his clothing and hair indicated that he'd been napping. "Come on then, lazy bones." The Doctor smiled and patted the "doctor" firmly on the back, "We've got work to do."


	12. Chapter 12

The Doctor was all smiles as he reached for the knob to the Tyler's front door and pulled slightly. But instead of cracked steaming earth and rising golden pods, The Doctor stood face to face with a quintet of remarkable creatures. They stood just under seven feet tall, draped in flame resistant golden capes that pooled upon the ground. They were faceless with limbs of wispy hoary mist, their bodies composed of glittering silver flame, intensely beautiful but strangely frightening. The four beings did not speak at first, but seemed to be waiting, perhaps ascertaining the situation silently. The Doctor stopped in his tracks, slack jawed for a moment. A look of severe intensity gripped his features. Behind him, Rose lightly touched his arm while John Smith simply stared.

"Are you the one called Doctor?" The melodic tones that composed the speech of these beings was unlike anything Rose had ever heard. It reminded her of the peacefulness of rushing water as well as the soothing sweetness of the lullabies her mother had sung to her when she was a child with a taste of the overpowering joy shefelt whenever The Doctor said "hello." The voices were intoxicating and Rose felt herself involuntarily move forward. She would have walked straight into the arms of these creatures had The Doctor's arm not held her firmly back.

"Rose," The Doctor didn't' turn his head but his voice was firm. Rose was immediately brought back to the moment.

"What are they?" Rose whispered, her mouth close to The Doctor's ear.

"They're called the NaOgień," The Doctor replied, keeping his arm between Rose and the intruders, "And they're the cause of all the accelerated temperatures you've been experiencing."

"Are they…dangerous?" This question came from Jackie, who had quickly come up behind The Doctor to see what was going on. Little Tony remained strangely quiet, as if under a spell, and The Doctor couldn't' help but thank his lucky stars for that tiny blessing.

"Are you the one called Doctor?" The beings asked their question again. The question, while still melodic and amazingly beautiful, now possessed a bit of a metallic edge, a screech that wasn't there before.

"I think they're beginning to lose patience," Rose interjected, placing a firm hand on The Doctor's shoulder. "What're we gonna do? What'd they want?" The Doctor frowned, his eyes steely and strong.

"Me…apparently," he whispered, just loud enough for Rose, and John Smith, to hear. All of a sudden, one of the NaOgień stepped forward. He extended one misty appendage outward, close to The Doctor's face but not yet touching. With a quiet whisper, a sweet song, a stream of shimmering light made its way from the torso of the being, toward the tip of the smoke. Abruptly, a flame erupted from the tip of smoke, like a lighter being flipped on, but with an angry intensity that made Rose jump. The Doctor held his ground…as did John Smith.

"Are you the one called Doctor?" The melody of their voices was fading, becoming less harmonic and more dissonant, less appealing. The flame burned brighter with every syllable.

"I am The Doctor," came a voice from behind Rose. She turned and saw John Smith step forward. She gave him a pained expression but he refused to look in her direction. John Smith placed a hand on The Doctor's arm and pushed him gently aside. "I'm the one you you're looking for." The NaOgień removed its burning arm from The Doctor's face but stood its ground.

"There are two." The being sounded confused, its musical voice twisted and unusual.

"No, he's lying. I'm The Doctor," The Doctor stepped forward, glancing at John Smith with an angry glare.

"No, he's just trying to protect me. I'm The Doctor," John Smith's voice was monotone and oddly unfeeling as he stared at the NaOgień, standing his ground. Rose looked on, helpless and speechless.

"There are two. We will take you both." Rose had witnessed enough teleports and transmats and she knew what was going to happen next…and she wasn't going to be left behind. She grabbed hold of The Doctor's hand just as a beautiful multi-colored beam engulfed them, followed by nothing but nausea, darkness and heat.


	13. Chapter 13

The first thing Rose was aware of as she slowly opened her eyes was the intense heat that curled around her, as if she'd suddenly come to in a sauna. She was soaking wet with her own perspiration and incredibly uncomfortable. And to make matters worse, she appeared to be lying on a pile of discarded and incredibly pungent rags inside what appeared to be an exceedingly small cell. Tentatively, she reached a hand out to steady herself as she attempted to rise, but as soon as her bandaged hands came into contact with the golden walls of her cell the cloth burst into flames. Rose waved her hands around frantically as the singed pieces of cloth fell to the ground. Rose's hands burned as fresh blisters began to form almost at once. Tears sprang to Rose's eyes as she looked down at her palms. She'd never get anywhere at this rate and she was certain that The Doctor needed her help. He always needed her help, in some form or another.

Rose continued to take in her surroundings. The golden walls glowed so brightly that she soon found herself squinting just to keep her eyes open. She was just about to throw her hands up in desperation when she caught out of the corner of her eye a strange glint, a difference in color on one of the four walls. Carefully, she reached a hand out, sure that any moment her flesh would burn, but strangely, her hand kept on going and going, failing to find any wall at all. It was then that Rose realized that her prison had only three walls, not four, and perhaps she just might be able to escape. But why would this alien species create a cell with only three walls? She ran her hands quickly over her body, looking for some sort of sensor or cable that might set off an alarm should she exit the room. But all she felt was her own clothing, nothing more, nothing less.

With great care, Rose lifted herself, careful not to touch the floors or the walls, and placed her foot onto the golden floor in front of her. Immediately the rubber soles of her trainers began to melt and she felt her bare feet come into contact with the floor. Luckily, she was able to place her feet back on the pile of rags before any serious damage was done, but her feet smarted from the remnants of burning rubber that remained. Rose sat down slowly, quickly but carefully scraping the hot rubber from the fleshy pads of her feet. Tears sprang up anew and she screamed in frustration. Her screams of frustration, however, soon turned to a different kind.

"Oh Rose, yer an idiot you are!" Rose smiled and hatched her plan. Carefully, she picked up four incredibly odiferous rags and tied them tightly around her feet. Holding her breath, she stood once again and tentatively placed one foot on the floor in front of herself. She waited for the burning, waited for the pain but neither came. Taking slow, steady steps, Rose began to walk towards the opening in her cell. As she neared the opening she placed an arm in front, waved it around a bit, just in case some strange device decided to trigger itself upon her escape.

"I've seen weirder things," Rose thought as she eased a bit and placed her right foot outside of her cell. Nothing happened. Rose looked left and right, looking for guards of some kind, but strangely, she didn't see anything, just golden, shimmering hallways.

"Course, if all their doors are this hard to make out, I'll never find The Doctor." Rose closed her eyes, did a bit of mental "eeny meeny miney mo," then chose a direction. Her one thought as she hobbled down the glistening hallway was The Doctor.

"I'm coming Doctor," she whispered, her eyes vigilant for any sign of the NaOgień, "I'm coming."


	14. Chapter 14

The Doctor and John Smith were confined in a strange bubble that hovered just slightly over the command center of what appeared to be the lead pod of the NaOgień fleet. The internal temperature of the bubble was seemingly hundreds of degrees cooler than the internal temperature of the pod but as The Doctor and John Smith was just suspended in mid-air, it still made for an uncomfortable situation. John Smith had remained strangely silent as the NaOgień had imprisoned them while The Doctor began his usual stream of intellectual pleadings and half a million questions. Now, however, they both were silent, watching, waiting, hoping that they'd be able to think of something to save the Earth and Rose before it was too late.

"You know, I'm a bit surprised it took me this long to work things out. Usually I'm much cleverer than this." The Doctor began turning to face John Smith. "I should have realized after what happened to Donna but I'll admit, I was a bit caught up in the emotion of the whole thing. You know, losing Martha, losing Sarah Jane, losing Donna, losing Rose, it was all a bit much, in the end. To be completely honest, I guess you could say that the ol' TARDIS figured it out before I did…which is why I'm here I suspect, or at least one of the reasons." John Smith turned to stare at The Doctor, his eyes clouded.

"What _are _you talking about?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper. The Doctor stared deep into John Smith's eyes, moved by this echo of himself whose current pain so rivaled his own.

"I was sure you'd have figured it out by now." The Doctor caught a glimpse of understanding in John Smith's eyes. "Ahh…and you have haven't you? I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." The Doctor reached a hand out as best he could and lightly touched John Smith's shoulder.

"Rose knows." John Smith said, unwilling to look at The Doctor now, despite his compassion. "I told her only this morning. Course, I'd figured it out for myself days before. Didn't take much, actually, to figure it out. If things had been different there might have been a bit more time but, you know how these things go." The Doctor nodded.

"So that's why you pretended to be me, down there? " John Smith nodded.

"Rose and I are mates, goodness knows I love her, but to think it could be more than that, when deep down inside I'm not really you was just a fool's dream. If Rose has to lose one of us, I'm the one who needs to go. After all, Rose and The Doctor in the TARDIS…that's how it should have been…how it still can be. Besides, " John Smith took in a breath and looked around, " going out in a blaze of glory, well, that isn't so bad is it?" The Doctor smiled for a moment, then turned to look around outside their prison, swallowing hard, his eyes narrowing.

"Well it won't be anything if we can't get out of this damned bubble. If only they hadn't taken my sonic screwdriver." The Doctor was about to try and get the NaOgień's attention when a small blur caught his eye. While the view through the skin of his prison wasn't 20/20, he could still make out what appeared to be a thatch of ruddy blond hair. "Rose." He thought, his heartbeats quickening. "Good ol' Rose."

"Well, Mr. Smith," The Doctor said, a smile on his face, "There may just be hope for us yet."


	15. Chapter 15

As Rose peered into what appeared to be the control center of the NaOgień's ship, it didn't take her long to notice The Doctor's precarious situation. The NaOgień were distracted with their machinery, speaking to eachother in that same lovely, melodic tone. Rose's heart leapt at the song and she almost lost her train of thought. How easy it would be to just give in to the music. Thankfully, her love for The Doctor was stronger than her need for rest and with one final mental push, she tuned out the song and focused on her surroundings.

There were only five NaOgień in the room, each occupied at his or her own workstation, completely oblivious to Rose. There was what appeared to be a steering mechanism, a power source, a switchboard of sorts, and two panels just brimming with mysterious blinking buttons, each glowing with its own iridescent light. As Rose was mentally taking stock of her surroundings, her eyes were suddenly drawn to a metal table, just feet from where she stood and just a few yards from The Doctor's prison. On that table, in plain sight, was The Doctor's sonic screwdriver. If she could just get ahold of that and somehow get it to The Doctor, then perhaps there was hope. But how?

Suddenly Rose knew how. She took a breath and looked up at The Doctor and John Smith. The realization that The Doctor would do anything to save her gave her all the courage she needed. With only a single tear of fear in her eyes and a fresh breath in her lungs, Rose lunged from her hiding place towards the table with the sonic screwdriver. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. She grabbed for the screwdriver just as the NaOgień were alerted to her presence. Their sweet melody began to turn sour. Rose's fingers closed around the metallic shaft of the screwdriver, pressing its main power button to the "on" position. Then, with a leap of faith and one final, hopeful look into The Doctor's scared eyes, she chucked the screwdriver towards the bubble with every ounce of strength she had.

Just as the screwdriver left her hand, the NaOgień extended their misty arms and bursts of flaming white light encompassed Rose. Every nerve in her body sang in pain, but the last thing she saw with her waking eyes was the screwdriver penetrating the skin of The Doctor's prison and falling safely into his grasp. "Love you," she whispered as she gave in to the pain and the unconscious darkness.


	16. Chapter 16

At first, The Doctor couldn't move. He had seen everything happen to Rose as if it was happening to himself. He had always known she was brave, always known she was capable of such great and extraordinary things. But to see her make this kind of sacrifice, to be in a situation where she was required to sacrifice, was almost too much for him to bear. When he'd had to leave her in this alternative world, as difficult as it had been, he'd at least known that she was alive, flourishing, and well. Now, as he stared at her lifeless body, steam coming from her skin as she lay on the glistening floor, the anger and the sadness was almost too much for him to bear.

John Smith was silent but his pain at witnessing Rose's feat was no less intense. _He _was the one who was supposed to sacrifice himself. _He _was the one who was supposed to die, not Rose! Then he chanced to look over at The Doctor…and he knew vengeance was coming.

The Doctor aimed the screwdriver at the bubble's shell and within seconds, the skin had broken. Landing on their backs but rolling quickly to their feet, The Doctor and John Smith were face to face with their foes. The Doctor aimed the screwdriver's beam directly at the NaOgień who had huddled, soundlessly around Rose's fallen body.

"I don't know why you're here or what you have planned. But any plan that involves killing my friends is one I need to stop, at any cost. Now I'm giving you one chance and one chance only. Leave this planet and never return."

"Or what?" sang the NaOgień, in unison, slowly approaching The Doctor. The Doctor's eyes became hard as he began to back up.

"Or I'll have to stop you." The NaOgień produced a strangely harmonic sound that The Doctor took as laughter. John Smith looked at The Doctor who nodded once then returned his gaze to the aliens. "I know your planet was destroyed during the Time War. So many planets died and I saw it all happen. My own planet died so I understand your pain. I'm so very sorry. But your pain and loss isn't an excuse to invade this planet or harm these life forms. If you leave now and promise to leave this planet in peace, I will find you another home, another place where your people can live." The tallest of the NaOgień stepped forward and addressed The Doctor, malevolence dripping from every syllable:

"We do not need your charity Doctor. This planet has everything we require; a superheated core, enough carbon dioxide to feed our fires for centuries, and enough environmental waste walking around to keep our fires lit for the rest of time. In capturing you, we now have access to your famous TARDIS and all the energy it contains. So you see Doctor, we don't need your petty offers of peace." The NaOgień moved closer, his steam turning white as fresh flame, liquid fire, melted form limbs. "But there is one thing you have that we do desire…Doctor." The Doctor stood his ground.

"What."

"Your…final…breath." The NaOgień laughed again and lunged at The Doctor, flaming limbs extended.

"Now!" The Doctor yelled. From his corner of the room, John Smith had been flipping switches and pressing buttons while The Doctor held the alien's attentions. Now he pressed the final button, and with that action, the ship began to shake and rock, as if hit by a cataclysmic earthquake.

"What have you done?" The NaOgień began to scream at The Doctor.

"Oh yes well, I'm not surprised you want my head because it's this head that's oh so very clever. See, while you had us captive, I was absorbing your technology. While you had us floating in that bubble, I was figuring out how to destroy this ship and your entire fleet. I had hoped oh so very much that I wouldn't have to use that information but I couldn't take that chance."

"You foolish Timelord," The NaOgień laughed, "You have lost everything and accomplished nothing. Your little charade only began the first half of the detonation cycle. In order to complete the circuit you must also pull the destratification lever. This is only a minor inconvenience. We will repair our ship and continue with our plans. You, however, will fail to see those plans come to pass." The Doctor grinned.

"Thanks for that," he said, turning to John Smith and nodding once again. "I knew there was one part I hadn't figured out yet but you were so kind in filling me in, thanks! John, you know what to do!" The NaOgień screamed as John Smith, eyes hard and cold, made a dash for the lever, dodging the aliens with football like accuracy, to the other side of the ship. He leapt and grabbed, pulling the lever and setting things in motion. Flames immediately erupted from every nook and cranny of the ship as if someone hat lit an extraordinarily large match beneath the ship itself. The NaOgień scattered, pressing buttons and pulling levers trying desperately to stop the destruction sequence.

The Doctor, John Smith and Rose were temporarily forgotten. The Doctor ran to Rose's side, kneeling beside her, taking her head in his hands and holding it to his chest. On her feet, her hands and now her back and cheek, there were noticeable burns, some more serious than others. If she were awake, she would have been in so much pain. The Doctor placed a hand over Rose's heart and pressed firmly. Nothing. He pressed again, this time a bit harder. Still nothing. Finally, in one final action, he beat his fist down with a yell, willing Rose's tired heart to beat just long enough for him to get her home. And it worked. Rose's fragile heart began to beat, lightly, faintly, but steadily. Determined to save his agony until they were safely out of the NaOgień ship, The Doctor scanned the chaos for John Smith.


	17. Chapter 17

John Smith had realized, soon after pulling the destabilization lever that simply pulling it wouldn't be enough. In order to complete the sequence, one had to hold the lever in position or else the destruction circuit would come undone. Frantically he had searched for some sort of device to hold the lever in place; a rope, a piece of string, something. But as minutes passed and both the flames and the screams of the NaOgień grew stronger, John knew what he had to do.

"Doctor!" He yelled, his voice barely audible over the bedlam surrounding him. The Doctor was seated on the floor, Rose's head in his arms. Instantly, he looked up.

"No time for dilly dallying and blazes of glory Mr. Smith. Time to go!" The Doctor stood and gently but firmly, took Rose's body into his arms.

"Doctor!" He yelled again, this time catching The Doctor's eyes. The Doctor's face already firm, flickered with a deeper pain. He nodded, understanding without words what had to be done. The flames were higher now, the heat astonishingly strong. With another nod and a look of deep admiration, The Doctor held the sonic screwdriver in his free hand, pointed it towards the floor and switched it on. The beam activated a doorway, once covered by the glistening light of the ship, and in an instant, both he and Rose were gone. John Smith smiled. The idea of dying sick and choking in Rose's bed hadn't appealed to him any more than the notion of spending a lifetime with a woman who didn't' love him. But The Doctor had been right about one thing, that cold day on the beach so long ago. Rose had changed him. In the short time they'd been together, she had shown him so many things about himself, things he hadn't wanted to, or perhaps couldn't, admit without her help. She had taken him into her home, taken care of him even though he could tell with every breath that she ached for the person behind the echo. And that's what he was, wasn't he? He was an echo, a copy. Or perhaps, he was a personification of some piece of the real Doctor; a part of him that was exorcised in battle and now, in the heat of battle, served its purpose. Perhaps he was never meant to live and instead, was created only as a tool, a tool to serve those with a great purpose. The thought gave John Smith a bit of peace.

As the flames neared and licked mercilessly at his clothing and his skin, instead of pain, John Smith felt peace; a peace greater than he had ever felt before. The Doctor was safe, Rose was home, and the world, for the moment, was protected once again. John Smith saw in his mind's eye, a picture of a laughing Rose, her hair dancing around her face, her eyes sparkling with delight, her hands around her mouth trying to hide her smile. It was with this image and a smile of his own that John Smith, personification of The Doctor's courage, breathed his last…and saved the world.


	18. Chapter 18

The Armed Forces and military had already taken advantage of the failing state of the NaOgień fleet as The Doctor's feet hit the steaming London pavement. Water was being blasted and dumped on the flaming ships, leaving nothing but ash and smoke in their wake. The world was beginning to rejoice as the fleets of alien invaders were meeting their just and timely end. And yet, amidst the frivolity and cheer, The Doctor was anything but cheerful. Rose lay limply in The Doctor's arms as he looked around, seeking some orientation. Amidst the throngs of people, The Doctor sought that little bit of blue that would lead him home. His own burns began to ache but his eyes were sparkling when he finally found an opening in the masses that led the way to his beloved TARDIS. Running and sometimes stumbling as quickly as his legs could carry him, he pushed through firemen and soldiers, well wishers and party goers until he reached a familiar sturdy blue door. With a quick snap of his fingers, he pushed his weary legs inside, using his foot to quickly pull the door closed once more.

With one arm still holding on to Rose, The Doctor grabbed his coat, which lay limply over the TARDIS's banister, and laid it generously over the TARDIS's grated floor boards. With infinite care, he proceeded to lay Rose's wilted body down and lay his left ear close to her chest. There was nothing; no heartbeat, strong and steady in Rose's chest and no warm breath coming from between her lips. Tears welled from his wide and disbelieving eyes. A sorrow unlike any he'd ever experienced welled up inside his soul; a sorrow that threatened to overtake him, much like a wave overtaking the shore. He wanted to scream, to cry out, but his body refused to move. He just stared at Rose's body, unwilling to accept the reality that lay before him.

With the tenderest touch he could muster, The Doctor reached out and gently pulled Rose's still warm body into his arms. He held her, tenderly, sweetly, rocking her back and forth, the soft sweet smell of her hair only heightening his agony. Behind him, the TARDIS slowly came back to life, her duty done; she had gradually begun to heal herself. And yet, sensing, as she always did, the emotion that The Doctor was experiencing, she kept her quiet ministrations to herself.

The Doctor sat, holding Rose for what seemed like hours. He smoothed his hand over her hair and placed a hand on the small of her back. Any quiet observer would think him lost in his grief. But this wasn't the case. The Doctor was deep in thought. He was wrestling with feelings and a knowledge that would change everything, regardless of the outcome. His mind reeled as it relived past memories, past companions, past experiences. He compared everything he'd experienced in this life of his, this life that had stretched for almost a millennium, to the singular thought of never seeing Rose again. Could he truly live the rest of his life, and all incarnations afterward, without her presence, her smile, her love?

The Doctor realized that he was losing time and that a decision, one way or the other needed to be made and it needed to be made quickly. The warmth was leaving her skin and the sweet smell of her perfume began to fade. As the last of The Doctor's tears fell on Rose's shoulder, he inhaled sharply and made his final decision.

With infinite care, The Doctor leaned Rose's head back into the palm of his left hand. He supported her weight with his right hand. Closing his eyes and taking a deep, cleansing breath, The Doctor placed his lips over Rose's lifeless mouth and began to breath. It wasn't a kiss, but the intimacy couldn't be denied. The light in the TARDIS dimmed slightly and a brilliant golden light began to spill from The Doctor's lips. His whole body began to shake and it was a surprise that he didn't drop Rose's body onto the floor. But the connection between the two was solidified by regenerative energy, stronger than any physical hold The Doctor could procure, and Rose's body stayed firmly in place. For many moments, The Doctor breathed the sparkling light into Rose's lungs and much like a strong drink of alcohol the liquid radiance became warm, like a softly roaring fire. The sparkling light spread through her lungs, into her veins and finally, enflamed her heart with such intensity that it immediately began to pump the life-giving heat into her awaiting cells.

With a start, Rose took a breath, a deep, gasping breath, as one who had long been under water might take upon breaking the surface. She fell backward, out of The Doctor's grasp, onto the floor, her gasps slowing to lighter inhalations, her hand clutching her chest as she grew accustomed to the beating sensations once again. The Doctor fell back as well, unconscious, his breath coming sporadically, his heart beats faint but steady.


	19. Chapter 19

Rose lay still, her body gradually becoming used to the normal sensations of life; her eyes scanning for something familiar. All of a sudden, the reality of her situation, the incident with the NaOgień, The Doctor, it all washed through her mind with amazing urgency…and something else, something new, something incredibly unusual, something knocking gently on the door of her soul, something she couldn't quite understand; it was there as well and the sensation left her feeling both refreshed and fatigued. With a soft groan and a hand placed lightly on her forehead, she sat up slowly, taking in the state of the TARDIS and finally, the inanimate Doctor. Her head felt fuzzy, unfocused, but The Doctor's condition registered somewhere deep within her psyche and with a cry, she crawled quickly to his side, lowering an ear to his chest and taking one of his hands in between her own. Finding a slow but steady rhythm, she did her best to rouse him.

Doctor!" She began to shake him, gently at first then with more force. "Doctor!" Before Rose had time to prepare herself, The Doctor was propelled upright, a deep and forceful gale of air exhaling from his lungs, followed by a shriek that made Rose pull away, landing rather abruptly on her bum. He sat for a moment, inhaling and exhaling, as if the process was somehow new to him. Rose quickly pulled herself together and placed a shaky hand on The Doctor's shoulder.

"Doctor'?" The Doctor turned quickly to meet Rose's gaze with his own. His eyes were red and bloodshot but they glistened with something Rose couldn't quite distinguish.

"Rose?" His voice was noticeably shaky but he was alert and pointed in his question. Rose smiled a half smile and nodded. Without further warning, The Doctor's arms flew around Rose's waist and pulled her into a firm embrace. Rose tried to focus her attention on The Doctor's arms around her but the fuzzy feeling inside her head returned and refused to go away.

After a few moments, The Doctor pulled himself from Rose, quickly rose to his feet and offered Rose his hand. Rose tried to smile but she was sure that she looked more nauseous than happy. The Doctor's hand aided her in standing, but the disorientation she felt caused her to lose her balance almost immediately.

"Rose? You alright?" The Doctor steadied Rose and held her up, checking her face and eyes much like a physician would. Rose giggled, an action that seemed beyond her control, and held on firmly to The Doctor's shoulders.

"Yeah…fine." With this uttered, she promptly lost her footing once again and careened, head first into The Doctor's left shoulder. Obviously concerned, The Doctor led Rose carefully towards the makeshift leather seats beside the TARDIS's console and strapped her in, for good measure.

"Let's get you home." Rose suddenly felt very tired and felt her eyes begin to close. Everything around her felt hazy, like a dream, and the last thing she remembered before drifting off to sleep, was The Doctor's concerned gaze, his warm hand resting on her forehead and the familiar hum of the TARDIS in motion.


	20. Chapter 20

As Rose slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that the fuzzy feeling, the feeling like too much cotton stuffed firmly between her ears, had significantly lessened. Her thoughts came easier and the memories of times recently passed once again flooded her mind. She was lying in her bed, wrapped loosely with a cotton duvet. Jackie was seated in a chair to Rose's right, asleep, with Tony resting soundly in her lap. Pete was sleeping as well, his back against the wall of her room, his snores light and comical. The window to her room was wide open and it was dark outside. The stars were twinkling almost happily, and Rose felt,, for the first time in oh so long, a cool, gentle breeze drifting in from outside. It was then that she noticed The Doctor. His right arm was resting on the sill of the open window, his left hand nestled in the disheveled brown mess that doubled as his hair. His eyes were on the stars, his thoughts obviously miles and miles away. Rose knew that The Doctor rarely slept, but something inside her felt that this sleepless moment was different. As silently as she was able, Rose sat up, rotating herself so her feet lightly touched the cool carpet beneath her bed. Placing her hands on the mattress, Rose started to rise. It was at that moment that Rose realized…her hands were completely healed! The numerous and painful burns and blisters that had, hours ago, peppered the tender skin of her palms was now replaced with smooth, scar-free, skin, as soft as it had been prior to the injury. Rose also noticed that her feet were free from burns as well. Come to think of it, her entire body felt better than it had in months. Before Rose had time to ponder these events, The Doctor turned his head towards her, his eyes serious and anything but joyful.

"I've been selfish Rose," he began, an incredible sadness tainting each word. Rose didn't reply verbally. Instead, she rose from her bed and stood beside him, the moonlight flooding inside the window catching the golden strands of her hair, giving them an unearthly but lovely glow. "All this time, I've told myself, I've told everyone, that some things can't be changed, shouldn't be changed. But now, when I'm truly tested…" His voice trailed off and Rose could see a tear make its way down his cheek, catching slightly in his day-old stubble. Rose cleared her throat and placed a comforting hand on The Doctor's arm.

"It's alright," Rose whispered, trying to smile and trying to figure out what brought on this sense of extreme melancholy. It was then that she noticed that something, or rather, someone, was missing.

"Sorry if I'm a bet dense, but where's the… Mr. Smith?" At this, The Doctor turned his face towards Rose.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Rose knew, without The Doctor having to say the words, that John Smith was dead. She knew she should feel upset, and she did feel upset, in the way someone who loses an elderly grandmother is upset. But she wasn't heartbroken…and the reality of her feelings saddened her.

"How?" The word escaped before she could stop it and with its utterance, The Doctor once again faced the open window. Rose, whose hand still rested softly on The Doctor's sleeve, felt herself begin to understand, even without the passage of words, the sacrifice that John Smith had made. John Smith had died so that she and The Doctor could live…and live together.

The reality of the situation stung at Rose with pain more tangible and aching than a million blistered palms. And yet, the tears didn't come right away. Perhaps it was shock; perhaps it was the tug of war inside her heart of extreme happiness being at her Doctor's side again and the extreme grief of John Smith's surrender. The Doctor turned to stare at Rose as she wrestled with these emotions. Without a word, he placed his hand on the yielding skin of her neck, just below her jaw-line, his fingertips ever so lightly grazing her hair. With that touch, the pressure of his flesh to hers, Rose felt the tears begin to flow. The Doctor allowed his legs to buckle and he slid quietly onto the carpeted floor of Rose's room, taking Rose with him. His own tears had renewed themselves as he pulled Rose close and tight against his chest. They sobbed, silently, deeply, until a sleep of sheer exhaustion, mentally, physically, and emotionally, lured them sweetly into unconsciousness.


	21. Chapter 21

The sky was still dark when The Doctor opened his eyes. Rose lay lightly snoring against his chest and with the utmost of care, he disentangled himself from her grasp, laying her head softly against her pillow. His fingers brushed away a few stray hairs that had fallen across Rose's face and couldn't help but allow himself a half smile. The smile was short lived however as The Doctor knew he needed some time alone…time to think and place the pieces of this puzzle together.

The Doctor exited Rose's bedroom, grabbed his longcoat from the chair in the hall and softly, noiselessly, exited the apartment. The streets of London were oddly quiet and a sweet and a savory coolness had quickly taken the place of the burning heat that hours ago washed over the city's silhouette. The Doctor pulled his coat a bit tighter around his waist and walked on. Here and there, the smoldering remains of a few alien ships occupied the red-eye fire crew. As The Doctor walked past, the men paid him no mind, seeing diligently to the quickly dying fires. The lights were on in many a passing flat as well-wishers and partiers continued their celebration of freedom and relief. The remnants of confetti, party hats and party crackers littered the cement beneath The Doctor's feet as he continued on.

The TARDIS sat silently as The Doctor approached, opened the door and stepped inside. Once inside, The Doctor began going through the motions of a routine checkup but inside his head, a million thoughts were swirling, all revolving around a single question: what to do with Rose?

What Rose wasn't aware of, what The Doctor hadn't been able to tell her, was the method of how her life had been saved. Rose knew about The Doctor's ability to regenerate. .She's witnessed his regeneration in two forms, from one physical form to another and from his body to his hand, the very act that would eventually create John Smith. What Rose wasn't aware of was how much control The Doctor had over his regenerative energy. Mickey had seen a taste of it when The Doctor had breathed on the TARDIS's power source, using ten years of his life, and eventually allowing them to travel out of this very alternative dimension.

When The Doctor was sitting on the floor of the TARDIS, Rose laying limply in his arms, her heartbeat quiet, her body empty, The Doctor had made a choice. Every rule and adage that he'd shared with every companion and being he'd come in contact with was lost in the agony of losing Rose. And in that moment, The Doctor had made a sacrifice, without thought of consequence, and gave to Rose, freely, enough regenerative energy to bring her back from death. In doing so, The Doctor had forfeited one of his own regenerations. The cost of this action was larger than Rose could possibly understand. The Doctor was free to use his regenerative energy as he saw fit and his use of that energy wasn't the issue at hand. What was now eating at The Doctor was Rose's significance in his life and how that significance played out over the past 900 years.

The Doctor had traveled with over 40 individuals throughout his many years of existence and he had come to care for each individual in one form or another. There were even companions such as Sarah Jane whom he could honestly say that he loved. And yet, time after time, he chose to let time and nature take its assigned course, be it in the parting of the ways or in death. He had always touted that some things in life cannot and should not be changed. How could he save one life and place that life in a position over another? And yet, in this case, when Rose lay dead in his arms, all he could think about were his own feelings, his own emotions, his own pain. All the ethics that had so driven his past actions were gone in the notion of a life without her.

The issues that faced John Smith and Donna Noble weren't an issue here, as Rose had already lost her life and the regenerative energy was used to restore it. There was no fear of Rose succumbing to the power of a time lord's energy buzzing around in her head. And yet, there would be after effects, primarily a connection to The Doctor that only such a transfer could engender. The prospect of such a connection both thrilled and frightened The Doctor, a man who had had to rely on precious little over his massive lifespan.

The Doctor continued to tinker with the TARDIS, out of anxiety more than necessity. He needed to figure out what he was going to do, quickly. Rose would be awake in a few hours and he couldn't afford to linger.


	22. Chapter 22

Strong healthy beams of sweet September sunlight danced through Rose's bedroom window as she pulled herself from a fitful set of dreams into the sweet, cool reality. Her room was empty but the distant sounds of laughter and conversation from Jackie and Pete met her ears, as did the soft coos of Tony as he enjoyed his breakfast. Despite the seemingly happy tone that surrounded her, Rose felt a cloak of uneasiness drape around her subconscious; a sense of confusion and a strange longing. Attributing these feelings to the recent events, Rose pushed them aside, opting instead to take a long, cool shower.

After Rose had showered, dressed and made herself presentable, she took it upon herself to go looking for The Doctor.

"I'm sure he's just fine," commented Jackie, as Rose had made a brief appearance in the kitchen to grab a sip of coffee and bite of toast. "He's never left you before." Rose gave her mum a quick grin then exited the apartment.

The September air had turned a bit nippy and Rose instantly wished she'd brought a jacket. Tucking her hands under her arms and hugging them tightly to her body, Rose trudged on, not quite sure where she was headed. And yet, she didn't question her direction, merely walked onward as if guided by some internal compass. Before she realized where she was, the stark and sturdy TARDIS stood towering above her, intimidating yet incredibly comforting. A bit shocked that she'd managed to come upon it strictly by accident, she nonetheless gave the door a quick knock and a gentle push.

"'ello. Doctor?" Rose peeked quietly into the TARDIS and saw The Doctor seated on one of his chairs, one hand tucked behind his head, fingers nestled within brown tufts of hair, the other mindlessly tossing a bluish-green glass ball into the air, catching it, then tossing it once again. Rose walked over to The Doctor, standing near but not touching, just breathing lightly.

The silence could have been deafening, but Rose felt strangely calm, as if her soul was being tempered by an internal metronome, keeping her fears at bay and her emotions collected. Before long, however, The Doctor pushed himself to his feet and turned to face Rose, his face inches from her own, his eyes locked onto hers. Without a word, he reached down and took Rose's hand in his own, pulled in upward until it touched his chest, situated directly between both hearts. At this simply contact, Rose felt a jolt rush through her fingers and down through her arm, piercing her heart. Surprised, the feeling a bit like the shock one gets when they touch a metal doorknob after scuffling around in woolen socks, Rose instinctually pulled her fingers away from The Doctor's chest. Her eyes searched his, the answers swelling like the crest of a wave just ready to break. Still silent, The Doctor replaced Rose's hand, placing his own protectively over her fingers. His free hand reached up and cupped her cheek in his hand.

In that instance, everything that had happened, everything The Doctor had done, everything he'd experienced up to that point flooded through Rose's psyche. Rose couldn't help herself. The information was so intense, the memories and pain, the happiness and melancholy were so physically intrusive, that she had to cry out. Instantly The Doctor pulled his hand away, stepping away from Rose, breaking all contact between them. Rose wavered a moment, her eyes locked on The Doctor. Then, with no warning, her knees gave way and she fell to the floor. The Doctor was instantly by her side, his hands cupping her face, then checking her arms for injuries.

"Rose," he began, once again taking her face in his hands. A tear was making its way in a solitary stream down Rose's right cheek.

"You sacrificed yurself…," The Doctor waited, silent, still clutching Rose's face tenderly between his palms. "But why?" At this question, The Doctor's lips curved in a tender half-smile and he carefully brushed Rose's hair back with the fingers of his right hand.

"If you don't know by now, Rose Tyler..." Rose smiled as well, reaching up to brush a speck of dust off The Doctor's lapel. At Rose's smile, The Doctor pulled her into a deep embrace, relishing simply in being near her. When they finally pulled apart, Rose stepped back gave a little laugh, then stepped up to the TARDIS's console.

"So where to next?" The Doctor stepped up beside her but his mind was noticeably elsewhere.

"Rose, if you come with me now…we won't be able to come back, not on purpose anyway. You won't see your mum, your dad…Tony." He tried to meet her gaze but noticed that she was avoiding his eyes. "Despite everything…I…I can't ask you to make that sacrifice." Rose stared off at some point in the distance, but a tender smile played on her lips.

"You don't have to ask. You already did, don't you remember? That day, you took me to see the migration of the flying rays? You asked me how long I'd be staying with you…and I gave you my answer." At this point, Rose turned her head to meet The Doctor's eyes. "I said forever…and that answer hasn't changed. I was sure then…and I'm sure now. There is nowhere else I'd rather be." The Doctor couldn't contain his smile and Rose soon found herself caught up once again in his energetic embrace. The two friends laughed and held each other, making up for time lost and time stolen. The minutes melted into hours as two lost souls finally found themselves at home.


	23. Chapter 23

"I love you Rose. You know that, right?" Jackie held Rose tightly as the group of family, Jackie, Pete, Rose, Tony and The Doctor stood in front of the TARDIS. Both Rose and Jackie had been crying, the realization of a lifetime of separation beginning to set in.

"Yeah mum. I love you…so much." The two women finally pulled themselves apart, each wiping the tears from their cheeks and trying desperately to smile. Rose shared her final embrace with Pete and gave Tony a soft kiss on his forehead. "I love you too little brother. You make me proud, yeah?" Tony gave Rose an adorable toothless smile and giggled in reply. Rose felt new tears cloud her vision. Meanwhile, Jackie gave The Doctor a hug then kissed him firmly on the cheek.

"You take care of her, you hear? If anything happens to my Rose…" The Doctor placed a hand on Jackie's shoulder.

"With my life, Jackie. You have my word." Jackie seemed satisfied with his reply and gave his hand a squeeze. The tiny family of people shared a few more words of love and farewell until The Doctor gentle grabbed Rose's arm. "Rose. It's time." The TARDIS was humming, all engines renewed, and she was ready to fly.

"Bye mum." Rose said, her voice catching in a sob. The Doctor felt sadness well within him as well, as each of these people had become as family to him, despite his attempts to distance himself. With one last wave, Rose and The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS and closed the door.

Once inside, The Doctor turned towards Rose and asked her firmly: "Rose, are you sure?" Although she was still crying, Rose reached over and captured The Doctor's hand…and nodded. The Doctor and Rose walked towards the TARDIS' console. He pulled some switches, pushed some levers, and in a moment, the TARDIS was off.

Once the ship was in motion, The Doctor pulled Rose to him, his lapel catching Rose's remaining tears as she cried her sadness into his chest. Time passed and Rose's tears began to dry. The Doctor pulled away slightly, allowing Rose's head to rest comfortably on his shoulder.

"Rose," he began, clearing his throat with a nervous cough. Rose uttered a half-hearted "hmm". The Doctor pulled back so that he could look into Rose's eyes. A few tears lingered on her cheeks and with his thumb, The Doctor wiped the droplets of salty sadness away. The wetness of the tears had seemingly washed Rose's eyes of all imperfection and they glistened, clear and perfect, their color crystalline and mesmerizing, a well of emotion, hope and trust.

"Do you remember, that day on the beach, so very long ago? You told me something very special and…I was unable to reply. Do you remember?" Rose nodded.

"Of course I remember. It was the worst day of my life. I thought I'd lost you forever." The Doctor placed both of his hands on Rose's upper arms, holding her in place, holding her just so he could hold her.

"I wanted to tell you something…something I've rarely told anyone. I never got the chance…then. But I don't want to feel that way again; knowing that I'd let a moment slip away when I could share how I feel with someone I…someone close to me." Rose felt her heart begin to accelerate. "Rose," The Doctor began, his voice thick with both fear or emotion. "I…" and in one fluid moment, The Doctor leaned close and whispered something into Rose's ear…causing tears to renew their journey down the soft hills of her cheeks. As The Doctor pulled away, he searched Rose's eyes, eyes that stared at him in wonder and disbelief as well as hope and hunger.

"I'm so glad you stayed…so very, very glad." And then, to The Doctor's disbelief and surprise, Rose grabbed his jacket with both hands and pulled him close, her lips meeting his in a spontaneous kiss that tasted of sadness but echoed with the electricity of hope. This kiss, that could have ended had The Doctor not returned it with equal passion and emotion now set free, sent shockwaves through the TARDIS, turning her blue-green interior to a flushed pink light, enveloping the two souls in her warmth.

When the kiss ended, as all kisses must, Rose wrapped her arms around The Doctor's waist, her head tucked underneath his chin. She listened to the twin rhythm of his dual hearts, each muscle beating out a lullaby that soothed her and excited her in the same breath. She closed her eyes and listened, uttering in a breath both impassioned and relieved: "So am I."

The two hearts simply held each other as the TARDIS sped throughout time and space, lingering in the sweet comfort of the other's embrace. There was no rush to let go. After all, they had all the time in the world.


	24. Disclaimer

I do not own or claim to own any of the characters portrayed in the preceding story.

All characters are the rightful property, physically and intellectually, of their respective creators.

All credit goes to the BBC, to Russell T. Davies, to David Tennant and Billie Piper, as well as the countlesshistory of actors, writers, musicians and others who have contributed to making _Doctor Who_ such a glorious phenomenon.


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